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2008–09 Top League
The 2008–09 Top League was the sixth season of Japan's domestic rugby union competition, the Top League. The Toshiba Brave Lupus defeated Sanyo Wild Knights by 17–6 in the final of the Microsoft Cup to claim the 2008–09 Top League championship. The Top League is a semi-professional competition which is at the top of the national league system in Japan, with promotion and relegation between the next level down. Preseason Kintetsu Liners returned to the league, and Yokogawa Denki were promoted for the first time (and renamed Yokogawa Musashino Atlastars in the off season). They replaced Ricoh Black Rams and Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars. Teams Regular season Final standings Fixtures and results Title play-offs Top 4 sides of the regular season competed in the Microsoft Cup (2009) knock out tournament to fight for the Top League title. The top 4 teams of 2008–09 were Toshiba Brave Lupus, Sanyo Wild Knights, Kobe Steelers, and Suntory Sungoliath. Semi-finals -- ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Microsoft Cup
The Top League Championship is Japan's highest-level knockout tournament for rugby union clubs. Held annually, the leading teams from the Top League regular season qualify for the playoffs to decide the Cup title. From 2018 onward, the All-Japan Rugby Football Championship has doubled as the Top League Championship Cup. Previously, teams competed for the Lixil Cup, from 2014 to 2016, and Microsoft Cup (prior to 2009). The Top League competition is a Japanese industrial league that presently consists of sixteen teams, all owned by major companies. Initially sponsored by Microsoft Japan, the knockout tournament was first contested by the top eight teams from the Top League in 2004. It was considered a separate competition to the Top League for the first three seasons but was officially integrated for the 2006–07 season. The number of teams was also cut to four to give a format of two semi-finals and a final, and from that time onward until the 2016–17 season the winner of t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Osaka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of Honshu. Osaka Prefecture has a population of 8,778,035 () and has a geographic area of . Osaka Prefecture borders Hyōgo Prefecture to the northwest, Kyoto Prefecture to the north, Nara Prefecture to the southeast, and Wakayama Prefecture to the south. Osaka is the capital and largest city of Osaka Prefecture, and the third-largest city in Japan, with other major cities including Sakai, Higashiōsaka, and Hirakata. Osaka Prefecture is located on the western coast of the Kii Peninsula, forming the western is open to Osaka Bay. Osaka Prefecture is the third-most-populous prefecture, but by geographic area the second-smallest; at it is the second-most densely populated, below only Tokyo. Osaka Prefecture is one of Japan's two " urban prefectures" using the designation ''fu'' (府) rather than the standard '' ken'' for prefectures, along with Kyoto Prefecture. Osaka Prefecture forms the center of the Keihanshin metro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shizuoka Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Shizuoka Prefecture has a population of 3,555,818 and has a geographic area of . Shizuoka Prefecture borders Kanagawa Prefecture to the east, Yamanashi Prefecture to the northeast, Nagano Prefecture to the north, and Aichi Prefecture to the west. Shizuoka (city), Shizuoka is the capital and Hamamatsu is the largest city in Shizuoka Prefecture, with other major cities including Fuji, Shizuoka, Fuji, Numazu, and Iwata, Shizuoka, Iwata. Shizuoka Prefecture is located on Japan's Pacific Ocean coast and features Suruga Bay formed by the Izu Peninsula, and Lake Hamana which is considered to be one of Japan's largest lakes. Mount Fuji, the tallest volcano in Japan and cultural icon of the country, is partially located in Shizuoka Prefecture on the border with Yamanashi Prefecture. Shizuoka Prefecture has a significant Motor vehicle, motoring heritage as the founding location of Honda, Suzuki Motor C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yamaha Jubilo
Shizuoka Blue Revs (formerly the Yamaha Júbilo) are a rugby union team based in Iwata, Shizuoka, Japan. The team came second behind Toshiba Brave Lupus in the second season of Japanese rugby's Top League (2004–05). They were coached by former All Black Grant Batty and Fijian player-coach Tabai Matson. Founded in 1984, its name was " Yamaha Motors Rugby Football Club". The team rebranded as the Shizuoka Blue Revs ahead of the rebranding of the Top League to the Japan Rugby League One in 2022. The team name Júbilo means 'joy' in Portuguese, which has had a notable influence on the Japanese language. The name was also shared with the also Yamaha-owned Júbilo Iwata from J2 League. Current squad The Shizuoka Blue Revs squad for the 2024-25 season is: * * denotes players qualified to play for the Japan on dual nationality or residency grounds. Notable former players *Wataru Murata (2001-08, 68 games) Scrum-half, Japanese International (2001-08, 41 caps) *Leon MacDonald (2 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aichi Prefecture
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,461,111 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the west, Gifu Prefecture and Nagano Prefecture to the north, and Shizuoka Prefecture to the east. Nagoya is the capital and largest city of the prefecture. Overview Nagoya is the capital and largest city of Aichi Prefecture, and the Largest cities in Japan by population by decade, fourth-largest city in Japan. Other major cities include Toyota, Aichi, Toyota, Okazaki, Aichi, Okazaki, and Ichinomiya, Aichi, Ichinomiya. Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya form the core of the Chūkyō metropolitan area, the List of metropolitan areas in Japan, third-largest metropolitan area in Japan and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world. Aichi Prefecture is located on Japan's Pacific Ocean coast and forms part of the Tōkai region, a subregion of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Toyota Verblitz
Toyota Verblitz is a Japanese rugby union team in the Japan Rugby League One. Verblitz is a portmanteau of ''verde'' (Italian, Spanish and Portuguese for 'green') and ''blitz'' (German for 'lightning'). The team is owned by Toyota Motor Corporation and is not to be confused with the Aichi Shuttles rugby team, owned by Toyota Industries. It shares Toyota Stadium in the city of Toyota, Aichi with the football club Nagoya Grampus which also used to be owned by Toyota Motors. Honours * All-Japan Championship ** Champions: 1969, 1968, 1987 ** Runners-up: 2007 Results Verblitz (surprisingly given the team's pedigree) failed to make the cut for the first season of the Top League (2003-4) but entered the Top League in the second season and were a contender for the second Microsoft Cup. They lost the Japan Championship final on February 27, 2005, to NEC Green Rockets 13–17. Current squad The Toyota Verblitz squad for the 2024-25 season is: * * denotes players qualified to play ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Suntory Sungoliath
Tokyo Sungoliath (formerly known as Suntory Sungoliath) is owned by the Suntory beverage company and is one of the Japanese rugby union teams in the Top League. The team is based in Fuchū, Tokyo, as is their local rival Toshiba Brave Lupus. The team rebranded as Tokyo Sungoliath ahead of the rebranding of the Top League to the Japan Rugby League One in 2022. Suntory coached by Katsuyuki Kiyomiya won the Microsoft Cup on February 24, 2008 by defeating Sanyo Wild Knights in a close and exciting game, 14-10. Suntory therefore became the champion of the Top League for the 2007–08 Top League, 2007–08 season. On June 18, 2008 it was announced that George Gregan, the List of rugby union Test caps leaders, most-capped player in the sport's history, had joined the club on a two-year contract.Daily Yomiuri June 19, 2008) Gregan remained with the club until he announced his retirement at the end of the 2010–11 season. Honours * All-Japan Rugby Football Championship, All-Japan Cham ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gunma Prefecture
is a landlocked Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Gunma Prefecture has a population of 1,937,626 (1 October 2019) and has a geographic area of . Gunma Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture and Fukushima Prefecture to the north, Nagano Prefecture to the southwest, Saitama Prefecture to the south, and Tochigi Prefecture to the east. Maebashi is the capital and Takasaki is the largest city of Gunma Prefecture, with other major cities including Ōta, Gunma, Ōta, Isesaki, Gunma, Isesaki, and Kiryū, Gunma, Kiryū. Gunma Prefecture is one of only eight landlocked prefectures, located on the northwestern corner of the Kantō Plain with 14% of its total land being designated as List of national parks of Japan, natural parks. History The ancient province of Gunma was a center of horse breeding and trading activities for the newly immigrated continental peoples (or Toraijin). The arrival of horses and the remains of horse tackle coinci ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
NEC Green Rockets
NEC Green Rockets Tokatsu (formerly NEC Green Rockets) is a Japanese rugby union team in the Japan Rugby League One. The team's captain is Ryota Asano. The previous captain was Takuro Miuchi, who was also the captain of the Japan national rugby union team. Before the semi-professional Top League was created, the team was just known as "NEC". The amateur club was founded in 1985 in the Kantō region. NEC Green Rockets won the All-Japan Championship final for the second time on 27 February 2005, beating Toyota Verblitz 17-13. They drew 6-6 with Toshiba Brave Lupus in the 43rd Japan Championship final on 26 February 2006 after an effective defensive effort and the sin-binning of Glen Marsh in the last ten minutes of the game. The team rebranded as Green Rockets Tokatsu ahead of the rebranding of the Top League to the Japan Rugby League One in 2022. Honours * All-Japan Championship ** Champions: 2005, 2006 (with Toshiba Brave Lupus) Current squad The Green Rockets Tokat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kyuden Voltex
Kyūshu Kyuden Voltex is a Japanese rugby team owned by Kyushu Electric Power Co. (Kyūshū Denryoku). The nickname "Voltex" is a conflation of "Voltage" and "Techniques" and was decided after the team won promotion to the Top League. The team is based in Kashii, Fukuoka and from the 2007-8 season is playing in the semi-professional Top League at the top of Japanese domestic rugby. It is the third team based in Kyūshū is the third-largest island of Japan's four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa and the other Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regio ... to play in the league, the other two being Coca-Cola Red Sparks and Munakata Sanix Blues. In the fifth season of the Top League (2007-8) Kyuden managed to avoid the play-offs and stay in the league. They also won the league's "Fair Play" prize. Team colours Main: red with yellow trimmed jersey, black shorts; ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
